If there’s one thing we’ve learned about the Phoenix Suns through the first month of the 2025-26 NBA season, it’s this: they’re not just turning heads - they’re flipping the script.
Coming into the year, expectations were modest at best. The post-Kevin Durant era looked like a rebuild on paper, and most projections had Phoenix hovering somewhere in the middle or lower tier of the Western Conference.
But as of early December, the Suns are one of the league’s biggest overachievers. According to Kirk Goldsberry’s Thanksgiving Index - which compares team performance to preseason over/under win totals - only the Detroit Pistons have outpaced expectations more than Phoenix.
So what’s fueling this early-season surge? It’s not just one thing.
The Suns aren’t riding a single hot hand or leaning on a lone superstar. Instead, they’re building their identity on the defensive end - and the numbers back it up in a big way.
From Bottom of the Pack to Defensive Disruptors
Let’s start with steals. Through November (prior to games played on Dec.
1), Phoenix leads the entire NBA in steals per game at 10.6. That’s not just a slight improvement - it’s a seismic leap from last season, when they ranked 28th in the league with just 7.2 per contest.
To put it plainly: they went from near the bottom to the very top in the span of one offseason.
They’re even outpacing the reigning champs and defensive powerhouse Oklahoma City Thunder, who sit just behind them at 10.4 steals per game.
This isn’t a fluke. It’s the product of a collective buy-in from the roster and a new defensive mindset instilled by first-year head coach Jordan Ott.
Ott’s Blueprint: Pressure, Traps, and Team Buy-In
Ott, who arrived from Cleveland’s coaching staff, has clearly prioritized defensive intensity and perimeter pressure. His system thrives on active hands, sharp rotations, and constant ball pressure - and the players are responding.
The additions of Dillon Brooks and Mark Williams have been critical. Brooks, never one to shy away from defensive scrums, is leading the team with 1.7 steals per game.
His energy and edge are contagious. Williams brings rim protection and interior toughness that complements the perimeter chaos.
Then there’s Collin Gillespie, whose increased minutes have added a layer of grit and poise in the backcourt. He’s not just holding his own - he’s helping set the tone.
But it’s not just the new faces. The Suns are getting contributions across the board.
Nine different players - including a limited-sample Jalen Green - are averaging at least one steal per game. That kind of depth in defensive disruption is rare and speaks to a team-wide commitment.
Creating Turnovers, Creating Offense
Phoenix isn’t just swiping the ball - they’re turning those takeaways into transition opportunities. Only Oklahoma City (17.9) and Detroit (17.0) are forcing more turnovers per game than the Suns’ 16.8. That’s a huge jump from where they were last year, and it’s helping them generate easy buckets without having to grind out every possession in the halfcourt.
We saw that in full force during their Nov. 18 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. The Suns racked up 19 steals - the most by any NBA team in a single game this season and the most by Phoenix since 2002. Even more impressively, all five starters recorded at least two steals - a feat the franchise hadn’t achieved since 1983.
Rookie Ryan Dunn was everywhere that night, collecting five steals and capping one of them off with a breakaway dunk that brought the crowd to its feet. That kind of two-way energy is becoming a hallmark of this team.
Not Just Flash - Real Foundation Being Built
Now, let’s zoom out. Phoenix currently ranks 14th in defensive rating - a middle-of-the-pack number on the surface, but a massive improvement from last season, when they finished 28th. That kind of turnaround doesn’t happen without a serious cultural shift.
And while they might not finish the season as the league leaders in steals, the effort, the hustle, and the defensive identity they’re building feel sustainable.
Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale are knocking down shots at an elite clip from deep, which gives the offense room to breathe. But it’s the defense that’s setting the tone. The Suns aren’t waiting for opponents to make mistakes - they’re forcing the issue, dictating tempo, and playing with a chip on their shoulder.
In a stacked Western Conference, Phoenix still has a long road ahead. But if this early-season form is any indication, they’re not just surviving the post-Durant transition - they’re thriving in it.
And they’re doing it their way: with grit, with energy, and with a defense that just won’t quit.